


Purple Silk

by ScarlettFAngell



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Augmentations, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blackmail, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ex-Soldier!Shiro, Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Injury Recovery, Knotting, M/M, Manipulation, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pilot Shiro (Voltron), Pole Dancing, Seedy Strip Clubs, Self-Lubrication, Shiro (Voltron) Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Shiro (Voltron) Has a Large Cock, Stripper!Lotor, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Stripping, hidden identity, mentions of past sexual abuse, sex on a desk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:13:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26061718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettFAngell/pseuds/ScarlettFAngell
Summary: Lotor Diabaz has been missing for almost two years. Disappeared, Gone. Unable to be found. But his parents are dead and Shiro--his ex-bodyguard--has been hired by Daibaz Industries to find him. Apparently, Zarkon never took him out of the will, but they only have twenty-four months to find Lotor or the company will be systematically dismantled.Shiro, on the other hand, has other reasons for finding Lotor. He loves him. But love can only get you so far. So when he finds Lotor working as a stripper at the most notorious strip club in the city, he has to get him out--and fast. Because Lotor is all kinds of messed up and Shiro wants to see him come home.
Relationships: Lotor/Shiro (Voltron), Lotor/Thace (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Purple Silk

**Part I: The Job**

**_Shiro stared down at the address_ ** scrawled on the torn piece of paper in his hand, then back up at the shitty, rundown little strip club he was standing outside of. It looked like it had seen better days, the paint peeling and all the lights flickering dully, though the bright red one that said “boys boys boys” and “enter here” was working perfectly well. He squinted at it, tucking the paper into his pocket and crossing his arms over his chest, leaning back against the dirty alley wall behind him. He was across the road at the moment, just watching the handful of men—and the three women—he saw come and go. He couldn’t believe it. This was where Lotor had ended up? In Carlo’s?

He sighed. Lotor must’ve been fucking desperate if he’d come here. Carlo’s had a...reputation. For roughness and for drugs, and disappearances, though he doubted Lotor would stoop to that. The kid was far too intelligent to go that far. But a stripper? Shiro knew he’d been cut off by his parents nearly two years ago now, but this was ridiculous. Was he trying not to be found? Was he hiding? Did he even know that his parents were dead, killed in a traffic accident six months ago? And did he know that his father had never taken him out of the will?

Probably not...

And that was why he was here after five and a half months of searching and more than a few dead ends, wasn’t it? To take Lotor home. Daibaz Industries’ chairmen weren’t stupid, but they _were_ desperate. That’s why they hired him. They knew his history with Lotor, knew that he’d do anything to find him. And he had, slowly building up a rapport with the local street walkers, some of the other prostitutes in the slightly more respectable clubs... It had gotten him this lead from a nervous redhead who would only tell him he was called Zephyr and that he’d find what he was looking for here... That he should _ask for Lilac_.

He frowned, eyeing the way a man was tossed out of the club on his ass by one of the bouncers—a tall, broad man who was dark-skinned and purple-eyed, his hair a strange off-white—with a warning not to come back. Shiro knew him by reputation only. Kolivan was a no-nonsense man and the one he’d need to talk to if he wanted a job there....if he wanted to get close enough to find Lotor.

The guy on the ground climbed groggily to his feet, flipping off the head bouncer and saying something that was clearly not exactly English. Shiro’s frown deepened and his tilted his head. He sounded drunk as hell, too.

“Piss off!” Kolivan told him loudly, flipping him off right back. “I know Thace lets the boys get roughed up a bit but you don’t get to force them into shit they don’t wanna do! So fuck off and don’t you dare show your face here again! You’re fucking banned, mate!”

The dude let out a string of expletives and tried to take a swing at the bouncer. Kolivan neatly dodged it and gave the guy a swift boot to the ass that sent him sprawling into the middle of the fucking street, right into the path of a cab that screeched to a halt inches from the little fat man’s face.

“I see you again, Janka, and your life is fucking forfeit, you hear me?!” Kolivan was shouting now, marching over and kicking the guy in the ribs. “Fucking forfeit, asshole!”

“Kolivan.”

The bouncer looked up immediately, in the middle of stomping a foot down on ‘Janka’s’ hand. Shiro’s eyes darted to the man standing in the club’s entrance, arms folded and a disapproving look on his face. Kolivan backed off, straightening up and giving the man a respectful nod.

“Leave him. The little worm’ll crawl off to die in a gutter, and if he does come back, I’ll kill him myself.” Thace—a dark haired man with harsh, glittering eyes who was clearly the boss of Carlo’s—stepped out into the street, moving to crouch by Janka’s head, yanking it up by the hair. “Lilac is my  _favourite_ , Janka. You touch him again and you’ll get more than a beating. Do you understand?”

Janka spat at him, missing completely and Thace dropped his head, letting his chin crack against the bitumen. The man straightened up and gave the drunk a swift kick to the gut before he turned and fixed Shiro with a narrow-eyed look. Kolivan snorted and he looked away, moving back towards the club.

“Leave the idiot to rot,” he spat, and disappeared back into the club without waiting for Kolivan to reply. The bouncer eyed Janka warily one last time before he followed Thace back into the club.

Shiro stood there a moment, heart racing and eyes wide. Because he’d just said _Lilac_ and if that was correct, then that meant that the asshole laying in the street had tried—and probably succeeded in—hurting Lotor. It made him furious, but he stayed right where he was for a few good, long minutes until the drunk’s cronies stumbled out of the club, peeled Janka off the road and dragged him off down the street. He waited a few more minutes, struggling with himself because he really wanted to go in there and demand to see him but knew he couldn’t, before he decided to head home. According to Zephyr, Lilac lived in one of the shitty rooms above the club, which meant that Lotor wasn’t going anywhere. Shiro knew where to find him now, so all he had to do was give it a week or so before he came back. As a customer. But first, he’d need to give Sendak an update. The current Acting CEO of Daibaz Industries wanted to know when Lotor’d been found. A pity it was probably gonna takes fucking _months_ to extract him. Lotor had certainly found a pretty damn good hiding place—Carlo’s has a reputation for a reason. People tended to disappear when they started working there... Sendak was _not_ going to be impressed.

**_Okay, so maybe he’d only_ ** lasted four days. Sue him. He was _worried_. He didn’t dare ask for “Lilac” right off the bat. Instead, he chose a dark, secluded corner and got comfortable, tipping the pretty blonde that served him generously and mostly just nursing his drink all night. The purpose of this particular visit was to get the lay of the land, understand the club a bit better and get an idea of the clientele and Thace’s boys. He didn’t see or hear anything about Lilac except the one time he overheard someone at a nearby table ask their dark-haired server about it only to be told that Lilac was “sick” and would be back in another day or so.

Apparently this was a common thing for him and it had Shiro wondering just how long Lotor had been there and when he’d apparently started taking on the clearly more violent customers... He tried not to think about it too hard, watching the stripper spinning about the pole on the centre stage, eyes dragging over pale skin scattered with freckles and the bright blue hair—clearly a wig—as the boy spun upside down on the pole and slowly slid down until he hit the floor and slid forwards until they were laying half over the edge of the stage, upside down. The boy stayed there a moment, eyes bright, as he smiled shyly at the man sitting right in front of him. He reached for the man teasingly then rolled over and slid back out of reach, dragging a hand up a thigh and over his lacy panties—blue to match his wig—and then up his stomach before he blew a kiss. The lights went down and the crowd cheered, the slow Spanish music fading into the club’s usual music, people tossing cash in the general direction of the stage.

Shiro rolled his eyes and waved down his blonde server for another drink, nodding to the stage and discretely enquiring about the club’s most popular dancers. He was told there were five. Casanova, who had just performed, Cinnamon, who would be next, Belladonna, Violet and Lilac, though Violet was currently otherwise engaged and Lilac wasn’t available tonight. He thanked him—learnt his name was Amber and that he was new, that there was an....auction running for his “virginity”—then sent him on his way. Amber was pretty, but not Shiro’s concern, though he was tempted to put a bid in, just to blend in... Which he did end up doing, though he lost to a man across the club who touched the boy tenderly so he hoped it wouldn’t be too traumatic for him.

No. His focus was Lotor, though apparently Lilac wasn’t going to be showing his face tonight. Shiro had to wonder just what Janka had done to him to keep him from working for over four days. He’d heard rumours, okay? He wasn’t deaf. Or blind. Some of the boys had bruises, nasty ones. On wrists and throats, a couple had black eyes that they tried to hide with heavy make-up. He did notice that Thace tended to rotate the injured boys to behind the bar, which was a small mercy. The man might be a heartless bastard, but apparently he didn’t want them hurt more usual if he could help it. Hell, Shiro even saw him doing the rounds, going through the club from boy to boy, speaking to them lowly and occasionally swapping one boy from the floor for one behind the bar or even an entirely new boy, sending the one from the floor or bar backstage and out of sight.

Thace apparently really cared about the people ‘working’ for him. Shiro respected that, and considering the beating he’d seen Kolivan give Janka the other night... Thace took his responsibilities seriously.

He leaned back in his seat and blew out a breath, catching sight of long white hair out of the corner of his eye, turning his head just enough to get a proper look, a better angle. He’d know the back of that head anywhere.  _Lotor_ . He appeared to be arguing lowly with Thace, wearing a floor length, light purple lace robe that was falling off one shoulder, hair partially unbound and halfway down his back. In the low lights of the club, Shiro couldn’t tell if he was injured but judging by the pinched look on the boss’s face, he probably was... They were near the side door to backstage, and Thace wasn’t looking happy. Shiro watched them carefully as they spoke, then Lotor shook his head, tugged the robe back up over his shoulder and brushed past Thace, disappearing backstage without glancing back.

Okay. Lotor was  _definitely_ here, then. And apparently Thace had told him not to perform or something? And he was going to do it anyway? Shiro frowned, sipping his drink carefully and watched as Thace stood there, staring after Lotor for a moment before he followed after him. Well, that was interesting...

He settled in to wait, eyes darting over the interior of the club for several minutes before the lights on the stage went down on Cinnamon—a slightly bigger boy with pretty brown eyes wearing bronze coloured panties and thigh highs—with his legs spread wide so everyone got a glimpse of his half-hard cock, barely concealed by the lace. The soft, sweet music faded into silence...and it seemed like the entire club was holding it’s breath as a slow, sensual song started up. Shiro recognised it immediately—it was one of Lotor’s favourites—and his eyes widened as the lights came up up to reveal Lotor in the robe, long hair bound up and hidden beneath a wig—a short bob of pale purple—and a mask covering the top half of his face, also in the same pale purple.

He looked okay as he began a slow walk around the pole, letting the robe slip sensually off first one shoulder and then the other, pausing in front of the pole with his back to the crowd. Shiro sucked in a sharp breath as he watch the robe slip to the floor. Lotor was barefoot, wearing only lace panties, his scared and bruised back on display as he grabbed the pole and dipped backwards, eyes scanning the audience before he did a sweeping swing back up into the pole, one knee raising to cup said pole in his groin, spinning slowly again.

Shiro was transfixed as he watched Lotor dance, cataloging each and every mark he saw, each bruise, each scar, gaze catching on the one that followed the line of his left collarbone, shiny white amongst the black and blue, yellow and green, the pinkness of other scars. He’d known that Lotor was stripping. Zephyr has said as much, but this...the damage he could see, the bruising...it was too much. It wasn’t what he’d been expecting... He hated it, hated that he was transfixed by it. Lotor had always been pale...but this was mildly disturbing to see...

He swallowed shallowly, knocked back the rest of his drink and probably did the most stupid thing he’d ever done. He booked Lilac out for the rest of the night, wasting thousands of dollars on the frankly ridiculous hope that Lotor would listen to him, would actually know who he was... It was a fool’s errand but he had to try.

The dance ended with Lotor right back where he’d started, but with his arms stretched up over his head, face half-turned so you caught a glimpse of his eyes through the mask, past the wig. He winked and the lights went down, the music cutting out abruptly. Shiro swore softly, shoving his glass away from him as he noticed Thace approaching him. He stood up as the man reached him, Thace holding out a hand in greeting.

“I saw you watching the other night,” he said brightly as Shiro took his hand, turning it to study the state of the art prosthetic he wore. “Was wondering when you’d gather up the courage to come see what it was all about.”

“Curiosity killed the cat and all that,” Shito replied, trying to keep his voice smooth and slightly embarrassed as he shook the man’s hand. Thace laughed. “Besides, I had to see the man you’d threaten to kill for. He didn’t disappoint.”

He let go and then sighed. “Ah, yes. You’ve booked Lilac for the rest of the night, haven’t you?” He turned to lead the way towards a discrete staircase set in a dark corner by the bar. “I do wish he’d listen to me, but he likes to be stubborn and he doesn’t care much for covering his scars or bruises. He told me once it was what made him appealing.”

Shiro had to grit his teeth together, fighting to keep his composure as he followed Thace up three flights of stairs and down a long corridor. “I saw that,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. “Was a little worried but he seems like he’s okay.”

“Mmh. He’s a minx, and he tends to attract trouble but he’s my star dancer and I can’t coddle him too much. He gets moody if I try.”

He laughed, surprised. That sounded like Lotor alright. It fit him to a T from his bodyguard days. “Ah, I see. A handful, then?”

Thace shot him a sly look as they drifted to a stop outside a pale purple door with ‘Lilac’ painted across it in pretty cursive—Lotor’s handwriting—and a slightly darker purple.

“High maintenance,” the man said with a grin, right as the door opened to reveal Lotor, still wearing the wig and mask, one arm stretched up over his head, a sultry smirk on his face as he looked at Thace. He was also naked except for the robe.

“Who’s high maintenance?” he asked sweetly, then his eyes darted to Shiro and they widened slightly, the smirk faltering briefly before it was back in full force. “Who’s this handsome specimen?”

“You, of course,” Thace replied, and then gestures to Shiro. “And this is your client for the night. Be nice.”

Lotor pouted at Thace, eyes fluttering behind the mask. Shiro turned his head just enough to keep them both within view. Thace looked put out by it all. He wasn’t sure what to think of it yet. Perhaps he shouldn’t have done this...

“I thought you were giving me the night off?”

Thace rolled his eyes. “You’re the one who wanted to dance, baby. You knew it’d attract attention.”

“Hmmph. I suppose I’ll be nice,” he muttered, trailing a hand over Shiro’s shoulder and then tugging on the collar of his jacket. “In you go, then.” And he gave Shiro a sharp yank, making him stumble into the room. “Thank you, daddy!”

The door closed softly behind him and Shiro turned to face Lotor. He was standing there, both hands pressed to the door, forehead resting lightly against it. Then he straightened and turned to Shiro with a bright smile, leaning back against the door and locking it with one hand. Shiro watched him carefully, expression neutral.

“How would you like me, sir?” Lotor asked him, tilting his head and trailing a hand down his chest, tugging the robe a little further apart, not caring when it slipped off his shoulder and down his arm again in the process. “On my knees, sucking your pretty cock? My back? Bent over the nearest piece of furniture? Hmm? Maybe on my hand and knees, like the bitch I am?”

Shiro tried very hard not to flinch. Lotor’s expression was hard now, guarded on a way it hadn’t been when Thace was present. Or when he’d been dancing. Now that Shiro was close, he could see finger-shaped bruises on Lotor’s throat, almost completely gone by now. Lotor smirked and tilted his head up, giving him a good look at his throat. Apparently he’d been caught looking.

“You can put more there if you want,” he said softly, sounding shy now, eyes lowering to the floor. “I won’t mind...” He smiled a wry smile, not looking up. “And I wouldn’t blame you if you did...”

He choked a little, eyes widening as he lost composure. Holy shit. Shiro was _not_ prepared for this. For Lotor to be so...confident, so bold...in such a weird, twisted way. His time here had...changed him. Shiro wasn’t sure he liked it. He backed up a step and that was the wrong move. It made Lotor frown.

“Something wrong?” he asked, sounding so fucking sweet and innocent and confused, almost hurt. “Don’t you want me...?”

“Lo- _Lilac_ , of course I want you...” Shiro felt his heart breaking, and hurried to correct the assumption that Lotor had been making. Lotor’s eyes flickered back up to his, wide and earnest, almost desperate. “Please...don’t freak out on me...”

Lotor shook his head, lips pressed together tightly. Shiro took a step forwards then another and another, until he was inches from him, prosthetic hand hovering inches from the scar across his collarbone.

“May I?” he asked softly, eyes on Lotor’s face. He got a nod in reply so he gently lowered the hand to Lotor’s skin, tracing cool, metal fingers over the scar from the shoulder inwards, pausing at the part where it dipped into the hollow when a tiny sob slipped out past Lotor’s lips. “What happened here?”

He watched him carefully as Lotor shuddered, eyes slipping closed, framed prettily by the mask he wore. “My...my first time...with a client... He cut me...”

“He did?” Shiro sighed. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry...”

They fell into silence for a moment, Lotor shaking his head and Shiro just taking a moment to process. He sucked in a sharp breath, blew it out slowly. He was tempted to go find the man and kill him for hurting Lotor like that. Something on his face must’ve betrayed his thoughts because Lotor was watching him now, eyes wide.

“Thace slit his throat for it.”

Shiro blinked.  _Oh_ . “He did?”

“Mmhmm.” Lotor nodded solemnly, gaze darting off to the side. Shiro was glad Thace got to the bastard first or he might’ve ended up doing it himself. “Um.... You’re not, you know...gonna tell anyone about this, are you?”

_About me_ , Lotor meant. He knew that was what he was talking about. Lotor essentially being a whore. Shiro shook his head mutely, fingers sliding up onto Lotor’s neck, gentle and light.

“No,” he said softly, smiling slightly. “These?”

“Also dead...probably.” Lotor shrugged. “Kolivan dragged him out of my room the other night... I don’t know what happened after that...was kinda unconscious...for a bit...”

_Janka_ . Shiro sighed, nodding and then withdrew his hand reluctantly, metal fingers dragging over scarred and smooth skin in an unintentional sensual glide. Lotor shuddered at the sensation, eyes fluttering shut again, a tiny noise of protest escaping. Shiro stared at him, frowning slightly as he let his hand drop.

“Yeah, I don’t think that guy’s coming back.”

“ _Good_ .”

Shiro nodded, though he knew Lotor wouldn’t see it. He smiled and thumbed at the mask, grazing Lotor’s cheekbone beneath it before he shifted to tug on the wig a little. “You don’t need to hide from me, you know.”

Lotor’s eyes fluttered open and he frowned. “You...know....” He trailed off, glancing away, teeth digging into his lower lip before he sighed. “ _Shiro_ .”

“Yes, darling?”

Bright blues eyes meet his, wide and slightly fearful. “Can... Can I keep them on, please?” he whispered, catching Shiro’s palm and encouraging him to cup his cheek properly. “It...it helps me feel...safe...”

The admission broke his heart a little but he nodded, smiling slightly as he snuck the tip of his thumb beneath the edge of the mask, teasing him but not actually intending to take it off. “Of course, Lotor...”

Lotor flinched, just slightly, eyes darting away. “P-Please don’t call me that...not here...”

“Lilac, then?” He nodded and Shiro blew out a sharp breath. “Okay. Do you... Do you want to just cuddle, darling? No expectations?”

Lotor’s eyes widened and he nodded, taking Shiro’s hand and pushing off the door, tugging him around to lead him not towards the bed pushed into one corner, but towards the chaise lounge sitting in the middle of the room. It was upholstered in deep purple with black fleur-de-lis. The bed was covered in pale purple sheets and a doona in the same print as the chaise lounge. Shiro settled down onto it with a sigh, stretching his legs out to rest them on the low table in front of the chaise and opening his arms to Lotor, who sank down next to him and half-tumbled into his arms.

“I’m sorry I took so long to find you,” he whispered, pressing his face down into his wig. It smelt like the chemicals used to dye it. Lotor shook his head.

“I deliberately made myself hard to find. It’s not your fault...”

Shiro sighed, stroking a hand over Lotor’s head, then his back, keeping his hands off skin for now, content to just hold him close. He kisses the top of Lotor’s head carefully, then straightened up and tilted his head back against the chaise lounge.

“I don’t blame you, sweetheart. Not at all.”

Lotor let out a little sob at the endearment and Shiro pretended not to notice. At least he seemed okay with that one. His face was pressed into Shiro’s shoulder, almost smothering the little noises he was making. Shiro just let him cry. He probably needed it, settling a hand low on his back, over the robe, thumb rubbing little circles into his lace-covered skin. He was content to just sit there, holding him, not expecting anything in return. Shiro’d done it for Lotor’s before, back when he was his bodyguard.

“Can...could you call me that again, Shiro?” Lotor whispered after sever minutes of silence, lifting his head. Shiro glances down at him.

“Call you what? Sweetheart?”

He nodded, a tiny little smile gracing his lips and Shiro smiled back, unable to help himself. “Yeah...that...”

“Okay, sweetheart. Feeling better?”

“Mmhmm.” Lotor shifted time rest his head on Shiro’s shoulder, legs tucked up beneath him on the lounge, robe pulled over them, hiding most of his body from Shiro. “Much...”

“Wanna tell me how long you’ve been here?” he asked and Lotor shook his head slightly, one hand creeping onto his thigh, fingers splayed. Shiro forced himself to stay still, to not react, because surely Lotor didn’t mean it... Surely he didn’t want to touch him. He sucked in a sharp breath, free hand flying to catch Lotor’s as it crept higher, fingers pressing against his crotch. Yes, he was half hard, but that didn’t mean he wanted to do anything about it. “ _Lilac_ .”

“Mmh, yes, Shiro?”

And fucking hell. He sounded so sweet, so innocent and god damn it. If they were anywhere else... Fuck. He’d let Lotor do anything to him...just...not tonight...maybe. He glanced down at him to find Lotor’s eyes on his face, gaze soft and lips parting and fucking hell. That was sexy as fuck, but no. He wasn’t expecting anything from him even if he initiated it.

“You don’t need to do that, sweetheart.”

Lotor fucking  _pouted_ at him. “But I want to... You’re being so sweet to me...”

He frowned. “No, sweetheart. Not tonight...”

The way Lotor’s eyes brightened at that was...concerning. What the fuck had been done to him since he’d started stripping? “But there  _will_ be other nights?”

Shiro bit his lip, eyes darting away. “Maybe,” he hedged, exhaling softly. “I have a lot of stuff to talk to you about.”

The hand was suddenly pulled away and a Lotor shifted, pulling away from him a little and sitting up, turning to open a small metal container—a cigarette case—on the coffee table. “If you’re trying to tell me to go home,” he muttered, tugging a cigarette out of the case. “Don’t bother. I was disowned, remember?”

He sighed, watching Lotor with a frown, wondering if he’d heard or if he just didn’t want to go back. “Lotor...” Another flinch. “Haven’t you heard?”

Lotor glanced up, hands stilling in the process of apparently looking for a lighter. He tilted his head with a frown, obviously confused. “Heard what?”

Shiro stared at him. Okay, apparently he didn’t know. “Your parents are dead,” he said, trying to keep his tone soft, soothing. “And apparently—“

“Bullshit.” Lotor’s tone was harsh, gaze stony. “I got a phone call from mother recently. She was happy, wanted to make sure that I was okay, wherever I was...”

“Sweetheart...they died six months ago...”

Lotor stared at him, chewing on a lip for a moment before he sighed, putting the cigarette down. “What’s the date?”

“Um. The fifth? Of June?” Shiro frowned. “Why?”

He was being stared at again, Lotor’s eyes widening a little. Then he swore. “Fuck. I’ve lost six months of time...”

“Sweetheart?”

Lotor’s expression pinched for a moment, then he yanked the wig and the mask off, tossing them aside and turning to face Shiro, hair tumbling down loosely over one shoulder. Shiro stared, gaze catching on a tiny scar by one eye before Lotor was grabbing his flesh hand and guiding it into his hair, silently guiding Shiro’s fingers to the nasty scar that wound across the side and back of his head, easily several inches long.

“I...got beaten. Badly. Hence all the scars... I had no idea how long it’d been since then, that it was over six months ago...” He trailed off, lowering his head slightly, still holding Shiro’s hand in place. Shiro explored the scar with gentle fingers, completely stunned. And also very worried. “I’m...sorry. My memory has been...off since then. I have trouble keeping track of the days, the time... stuff like that. I, uh, forget things, too. Dunno why I didn’t recognise you sooner, when I was dancing... Kinda hard to miss my ex-bodyguard with the ridiculously pretty, stupidly expensive, government-sanctioned experimental prosthetic arm, isn’t it?”

Shiro swallowed at that. “Oh, sweetheart, you remember that? I kinda...blurted it out when we were both drunk...”

“ _You_ were drunk, Shiro. I was  _completely trashed_ .”

He laughed, smiling stupidly at that. “Yeah, you were.” He slid his hand out of Lotor’s hair and back down onto his cheek, cupping it gently. “I’m surprised you even remember that night.”

Lotor shrugged, flushing a little. “Kinda hard to forget the first time you fucked me, Shiro.” He flashed him a wicked grin. “I seem to remember you railing my ass over the balcony railing?”

Shiro swallowed. Yeah. He’d done that. At two in the fucking morning. Because... Well. It hadn’t been his idea, had it? He snorted. “And I remember you _suggesting_ it.”

The flush on Lotor’s face was pretty and he stroked a thumb over his cheekbone, watching as Lotor’s eyes widened. “I, uh, I did?”

“Yeah. You were... _very_ persuasive.”

Lotor flushes a little darker, eyes darting away. “O-oh..”

He seemed a little embarrassed by that, and Shiro got the impression that he might not...exactly...remember everything. That was okay. Shiro was happy to remind him about it.

“It’s fine if you don’t remember everything, sweetheart. I’m not mad at you for it.”

And it was that, that seemed to settle Lotor more than anything. Shiro sighed and set the topic of Lotor’s parents aside for now. He’d circle back to it later, preferably when Lotor was in a better mood.

“I...was so sure you would be,” Lotor murmured softly and turned to pick up the cigarette again. Shiro leaned over and gently slipped it out of his fingers, tucking it away in the cigarette case and flipping said case closed. “Shiro...”

“Cigarettes are bad for you, sweetheart. You know that.”

Lotor huffed out a breath and tugged at his hair before leaning back against the chaise. “I’m sorry, Shiro. I know it’s a bad habit... but... well, it’s a coping mechanism, I guess? A terrible one. Thace suggested it after... a particularly bad customer. I was shaking so bad I couldn’t even undo his belt...” He trailed off with a frown, tugging the robe closed tightly. Shiro’s gaze darted down to a set of scars on his chest, four vertical straight lines running parallel across his ribcage, before it was hidden. They had to have hurt to receive. “He sat me down and just held me that night, no expectations... He isn’t as bad as you think...”

“Sweetheart...” Shiro watched him, worried, as Lotor got up and paced away, the robe slipping down one shoulder to reveal a nasty scar that looked like lightning climbing up his shoulder blade. It was old, shiny and white.

“No, Shiro,” he muttered, turning to stare at him with wide eyes. “Let me finish!”

He sighed. “Sweetheart, I watched Thace and Kolivan beat a man half to death,” he said slowly, softly, eyes on Lotor’s. “For you.” He leaned forward and picked up the cigarette case, eyes dropping to study the pretty mother-of-pearl and silver workmanship. “Because he hurt you.” He glanced up. “I watched him check on all the boys, too. Rotating them out, making them rest.” Shiro gave him a wry smile. “Pretty sure you don’t need to convince me that Thace is a good guy.”

“S-Shiro...”

“I might not agree with his methods, or his viciousness...but I respect a man who protects his people that aggressively, with such... _emotion_ .”

Lotor laughed, almost mockingly. “Thace? Emotional?”

Shiro smirked, eyes amused and wicked, like he knew something no one else did. A secret—a dirty, little secret. “I can see past his masks, sweetheart. As I can see past yours.”

That seemed to make him crumble a little bit, and Shiro was suddenly worried. He didn’t need to be, as he suddenly had Lotor in his lap, straddling his legs, the robe abandoned on the floor. He sucked in a sharp breath and held still, not touching Lotor as the pretty white-haired young man slipped his fingers into Shiro’s equally white hair, holding him still. They stared at each other for a long, tense moment. Lotor’s breathing was slightly fast but he seemed to be in control of himself, and his eyes were clear. Small mercies.

“Shiro, c-can I kiss you? Please?”

Shiro exhaled heavily, eyes fluttering half-closed. Lotor looked like he was ready to bolt at any second, but also determined. Very determined. Shiro smiles slightly.

“Just a kiss, sweetheart?” he asked and Lotor nodded. “No expectations?”

“Yeah, no expectations,” Lotor said softly, holding his head still and steady. Shiro nodded, and then Lotor was kissing him like a man who’d found water in a desert. Shiro gently brought his hands up to Lotor, one on his hip and the other cupping the back of his head, even as he let Lotor control the pace, the length, of the kiss.

**_Shiro picked up his jacket_ ** and shook it out, hanging it over the back of the chaise as he watched Lotor sleep for a moment. He had just gotten up after laying with Lotor in his bed until he’d fallen asleep and had decided to borrow the shower. They hadn’t done more than kiss and cuddle, and that was fine. He hadn’t been expecting more. It wasn’t part of the job—that was to locate Lotor and then bring him home. Already, he could tell it’d probably take longer than he’d originally thought it might, but Daibaz Industries was running out of time. If Lotor didn’t return within twenty-four months and officially accept his role as owner and CEO of the company, they’d be forced to sell themselves off...piece by piece, until nothing was left. All that legacy... _gone_ . Shiro didn’t want Lotor to have nothing to come back to...

He sighed and moved to pick up the rest of his clothes, shaking them out and neatly laying them over the back of the chaise with his jacket. It was nearing dawn and he needed to go. He’d have to return home, shower  _again_ and change into the suit Sendak preferred to see him in. Shiro pulled his phone out of the pocket of his jeans and sent off a quick text to Sendak— _Target located; commencing extraction, will report later today_ —before he locked it and put it back. Then he turned and headed for the—thankfully—attached bathroom.

When he came back out, steam billowing behind him, Lotor was, thank god, still asleep. He messed up his hair and redressed, making sure he looked a little...wrinkled before he hung his jacket over his arm and hesitated. He assessed Lotor for a moment, decided he was decently covered and snapped a quick pic of him from the shoulders up. Then he stepped out into the hall, pocketing his phone and gently closing the door to Lotor’s room. A door down the hall opened and he glanced up to find the redhead—Zephyr—watching him. He gave him a curt nod. The redhead returned it and then slipped into his room, closing the door gently behind him. Shiro exhaled heavily and straightened up, squaring his shoulders and sauntering off down the hall with a tiny smug smirk as he walked, acting like he’d just gotten laid, multiple times, and was looking forward to his next visit. It helped that Lotor had wanted to mark up his throat and collarbone. It just gave him more camouflage for his undercover work. Now, if only he could actually convince Lotor to come home...


End file.
